The Democrats' Real Problem By E. J. Dionne Jr.

[jbfam4]

The Democrats' Real Problem

By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Tuesday, March 7, 2006; Page A17

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/06/AR2006030601613.html?nav=hcmodule

It is now an ingrained journalistic habit: After a period of bad news for President Bush, media outlets invariably devote time and space to "balancing" stories that all say more or less: "Yes, the Republicans are in trouble, but the Democrats have no alternatives, no plans," etc.


The Democrats' real problem is that they have failed to show how their critique of the Republican status quo is the essential first step toward the alternative program they will owe the voters in the presidential year of 2008.

This failure has made it easier for Republicans to cast anti-Bush feeling (aka, "Bush hatred") as a psychological disorder. The GOP shrewdly makes the president's critics look crazed and suggests that opposition to Bush is of no more significance than, say, the loathing that many watchers of "American Idol" love to express toward Simon Cowell, the meanest of the show's judges.


The cure for an arrogant government that doesn't take critics seriously is accountability. Divided government never looked so good. That's especially true at a moment when polls suggest that a majority is yearning for more competence and greater moderation.

[madame defarge]

1. Great op/ed...but...

on the front page of the WaPo, they have this article that keeps promoting the idea that Dems don't have a plan or a message...

Democrats Struggle To Seize Opportunity
Amid GOP Troubles, No Unified Message
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/01/AR2006030102193.html

[unblock]

2. the "no plan/no message" bu**sh** is pure banana republican spin

that's the story THEY want to see.

democrats have all sorts of plans, most of them boil down to governing competently for the benefit of america and americans, rather than incompetently for the benefit of partisan political donors.

but since when is having a plan important for the out political party 8 months before a non-presidential election?

the contract on america was pretty much the ONLY time anyone's ever done that, and even that was far overplayed because that "plan" was unveiled only 6 weeks prior to the election, when the polls already showed huge gains for republicans. by and large, people did NOT like the plan, it probably COST them votes, but it made for great spin for their "mandate" once they were in.

i'm not saying a similar "plan" would be a bad idea, but it's hardly necessary or standard.

[tiptoe]

3. Election Fraud, Mr. Dionne -- the "Dems' real problem" is systemic fraud.

America's "real problem" is Election System Fraud. The world's "real problem" is election fraud in the greatest democracy.

Accountability means squat without a fair election system. BushCo needn't take its critics seriously and concern itself with accountability to the American people or Congress or the world for anything -- lies, torture, domestic spying, crony-capitalism, draconian social policies, treason -- as long as the cabal can count on riggged elections guaranteeing "majority control" of the House and Senate and Court.

"Moderating this radical fiscal approach is something the voters clearly could accomplish with their ballots this fall."

"...voters clearly could accomplish"? Excuse me, Mr Dionne, but such analysis is short-sighted and begs the question that a fair election system exists -- that Democracy exists -- to count the ballots of the majority, just as one didn't exist to do so in 2000 and 2004.

The arrogance of * government is well-founded, as long as the "media" keeps unexposed the "real problem."

[rodeodance]

4. might be saying ideas/plan for the election?